MOSCOW, May 21 (Itar-Tass) — Russia is awakened to the fact that the United States reinforces the military infrastructure in Afghanistan while it announces it will withdraw the gross of troops by 2014, said Albert Khorev, chief of the section of the Foreign Ministry 2nd Asia Department.
Speaking at a conference devoted to security in Afghanistan, Khorev said: “We are awakened to the fact that the United States reinforces the military infrastructure in Afghanistan without a clear mandate and terms while the U.S. announces it will withdraw the gross of troops by 2014. If, as Americans say, the key stabilisation tasks are resolved, there are questions why the country needs any bases and whom they are aimed against. If the bases are necessary to struggle against Afghan terrorists and drug trafficking, for what reason the International Security Assistance Force should leave Afghanistan.”
Khorev noted, “The handover of responsibility to Afghan law enforcement structures is of declarative nature.” “Despite the statement by the leadership of international forces under which two stages of the programme was successful, the situation in the country arouses questions. There are cases when after foreign units were deployed from settlements, the Taliban movement, which was being backed by the local population, seized power,” the top diplomat stressed.
“An idea on creating effective armed forces in Afghanistan is rather doubtful. Till now the foreign presence will determine stability of the Kabul regime,” Khorev pointed out.